Well pumping apparatus



June 28, 1932. H. H. .BRANNAN 1,865,054

WELL PUMPING APPARATUS Filed March 6. 1931 I HOME/P H. BE'flNNfl/V INVENTOR BY Ms Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOMER H. BRANNAN, OF PARKS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO THE TEXAS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE WELL PUMPING APPARATUS Application filed March 6,

My invention relates to well pumping apparatus and more particularly to a device for shutting down an engine used in pumping the well in case of an accident or other emergency. The principal object of my invention is the provision of a device of this kind which will be simple of construction and positive in its action.

In the case of the average pumping well, it is often necessary that the operator be absent from the well the greater part of the time due to his duties at other wells and, under such circumstances any accident occurring at the well during his absence may cause serious damage. Among the more common accidents which may occur are the following: The belt from the engine to the band wheel may break and become wound up in the clutch gear of the engine and the friction occasioned thereby may, and often does, cause a fire to be started. Also, the breaking of a belt may, by, releasing the load on the engine, cause the engine to run away. In some cases the belt becomes loose or wet and begins to slip on the clutch pulley causing excessive friction and in many cases a fire. Frequently wrist pins, grip lines or sucker rods are parted and the sudden release of load on the engine causes it to run away and serious damage results.

The primary purpose of my invention is to provide a device which will shut down an engine in the case of any of the aforementioned accidents, thereby eliminating any serious damage which might otherwise occur.

In carrying out my invention I have provided a connecting linkage between the pump rod and the intake valve of the engine arranged. so that in normal operation the valve will be opened and closed in accordance with the position of the pump rod and fuel thus admitted intermittently to the engine. In case of accident, however, the valve will automatically assume its closed position, thus shutting down the driving engine.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my apparatus in operative position; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on line 22 of 1931. Serial N0. 520,618.

Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are side and face views respectively of valve linkage, Fig. 4 being taken on line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a detail; while Fi s. 6, 7 and 8 are views of a slightly difi'erent orm of valve connection, Fig. 8 being taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown my invention in connection with a beam pumping well having a casing head 10 and a derrick floor 11. A pump rod 12, frequently termed a polish rod, is adapted to be reciprocated vertically in the well and for this purpose a connecting grip 13 is secured to the rod, and to the grip 13 are attached the ends of a pair of cables 14 by means of which reciprocatory movement is transmitted to the pump rod. In order to im art movement to the pump rod an engine suc as an internal combustion or gas engine is provided, but since the engine itself does not form a part of my invention I have not illustrated it but rather have shown an intake conduit 15 for such an engine, in which is inserted a valve 16 which may be of the butterfly or other type. It will be understood that the operation of the engine will be controlled by the valve 16.

An arm 17 is securely attached to the pump rod 12 by means of a clamping member 18 and suitable bolts 19, this arm 17 being provided at one end with an opening 20. An elongated rod or link 21 is adapted to be moved intermittently in accordance with the movementof the pump rod 12 and in order to secure this movement the link 21 is passed through the opening 20 in arm 17, and at a point near the upper end of the link 21 is secured a suitable set collar 22. Securely afiixed to the valve stem 23 of the intake valve 16 is a bifurcated lever 24 and slidably supported by this bifurcated lever is a spool shaped slide 25 shown more clearly in Fig.

gage the set collar 22 approximately two inches before the top of the stroke is reached, and the link 21 will thus be raised. As the link 21 moves upwardly the bifurcated lever 24 will be pulled upwardly thus moving the valve 16 into open position and allowing gas, steam or other operating fluid to pass through the supply pipe to the regulator of the engine. It will be observed that in thisnpward movement the member 25 will slide in the slot of the bifurcated lever 24 as the lever is moved from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. to the position shown in full lines. On

' the down stroke of the pump rod 12 the link 21, due to its weight, will move downwardly thus moving the lever 2 1 into the dotted line position of Fig. 4, and closing the valve 16.

In the event that the pump rods should part, the jerk imparted to the pump rod 12 on its up stroke will cause the slide 25 to be pulled out of the slot in the bifurcated lever 24, thus allowing the lever to drop by gravity into the closed position, thereby cutting oif the gas or fluid supply and shutting down the engine. In the event the drive belt should break or slip the weight of the pump rods will cause the rod 12 and the arm 17 to stop "at some point in the lower part of the stroke and the valve 16 thus being in. closed posltion the engine will come to a stop. The time required for the engine to stop depends, of course, on the volume of gas or fluid in the conduit 15 between the valve 16 and the engine.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown a slightly modified form of com action for the valve to be controlled. In this form a valve 28 is mounted near the derrick floor 11, this valve being similar in function to the valve 16 shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. In this case, however, the elongated rod or link 21a which corresponds to link 21 of Fig. 1 is provided at its lower extremity with a yoke member 29 having a cross pin 30 adapted to be received in a slot 31 at the end of a bifurcated lever 32. The other end of the lever 32 is pivoted at 33 to the upper end'of an extension 34 secured to the casing of the valve 28. The valve stem 35 of the valve 28 has attached at its upper end a block or contact member 36 which is provided with a transverse slot 37 and a pair of oppositely disposed lugs 38. It will be observed, with reference to Fig. 8, that the bifurcated end of the lever 32 is adapted to partially surround the block 36, and in the closed position of the valve 28 the lever 32 rests upon the lugs 38, as shown more clearly in Fig. 7. A cam or trigger member 39"is pivoted at one end to the pm 33 and the other end of this cam member is normally positioned within the slot 37 of the block 36, being so arranged that its upper curved surface of the cam member normally engages the inside of the top of the block or contact at its center to the trigger member 39 and thispin will be engaged by the lever 32 to move the trigger member upwardly in accordance with upward movements of the lever 32. It will be understood that the weight of the valve stem 35 and the block or contact 'member 36 will tend to bias the valve 28 to its lower or closed position.

In the operation of the form of my invention shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, when the elongated link 21a is raised, due to the motion of the pump rod 12 and arm 17 as described with reference to Fi 1, the bifur cated lever 32 will be raise to a position such as that shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7. As the lever 32 is raised, the cam member 39 will also be raised and will in turn lift the contact member 36 and the valve stem 35, thus opening the valve 28 to allow motive fluid to pass to the driving engine. When the pump rod 12 and the arm 17 descend, the link 21a and bifurcated lever 32 will likewise descend and the contact member 36 and valve stem 35 will move downwardly to the closed position of the valve 28. Should, however, an accident occur such as the breaking of the pump rods, the jerk imparted to the rod 12 on its up stroke will raise the link 21a and lever 32 so high that the cam 39 will become disengaged and pass out of the slot 37 in the block or contact member 36, and the valve stem 35 will drop due to the force of gravity to the lower or closed position of the valve 28, thus stopping the driving engine.

It will be observed that the action of the modification shown in Fi S; 6, 7 and 8 is substantially the same as t at described with reference to Figs. 1 through 5, the only differences being in the connections between the lower end of the link 21a and the stem of the control valve 28.

- I have described my apparatus as being actuated by the arm 17 secured directly to the pump rod 12 but I wish it to be understood that my apparatus may be connected for its operation to substantially any reciprocating or rotating part of the pumping well.

While I have described my invention as embodied in concrete form and operating in a specific manner in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a reciprocatory pump rod and an engine for actuating said rod, a valve actuatable for controlling the admission of motive fluid for the operation of said engine, means for controlling said valve actuation in accordance with the movements of said rod, and means operable upon a predetermined movement of said rod for disabling said valve controlling means.

2. In combination with a reciprocatory member of a pumping well and an engine for moving said member, a valve for controlling the operation of said engine, means for intermittently opening and closing said valve in accordance with the movements of said member and means operable upon a predetermined movement of said member for disengaging said opening and closing means.

3. In combination with a reciprocatory pump .rod and an engine for actuating said rod, valve means for controlling the fuel supply for the operation of said engine, a linkage associated with said valve means and said rod for actuating said valve means in accordance with the reciprocating movement of said rod, and means cooperating with said linkage for disengaging said linkage from said valve upon a predetermined abnormal movement of said pump rod. v

4. In combination with a pump and an engine for operating said pump, said engine having an intake valve, means for operating said valve comprising a bifurcated member secured to said valve, a slide supported by said bifurcated member and adapted for relative movement therewith, and a link adapted to be reciprocated by said pump and connected to said slide so that on abnormal movement of said link-said slide will be disengaged from said bifurcated member.

5. In combination with a reciprocatory pump rod and an engine for actuating said rod, a valve for controlling the operation of said engine, an arm secured to said pump rod to reciprocate therewith, a slotted lever secured to the stem of said valve, a link, a slidable connection between one end of said link and said slotted lever, a slidable connection between said link and said arm, a collar secured to the other end of said link and adapted to be engaged by said arm during a predetermined portion of its stroke to cause an intermittent, reciprocatin movement of said link, and means for disabling said first mentioned slidable connection upon abnormal movement of said pump rod.

6. In combination with a reciprocatory pump rod and an engine for actuating said rod, a valve for controlling the operation of said engine, an arm secured to said pump rod to reciprocate therewith, a bifurcated lever secured to the stem of said valve, a link, a connection between one end of said link and said bifurcated lever, a slidable connection between said link and said arm, and a collar secured to the other end of said link and adapted to be engaged by said arm during a predetermined portion of its stroke to cause an intermittent, reciprocating movement of said link, the connection between said link and said bifurcated lever comprising a slide member secured to said link and adapted to be disengaged from said bifurcated lever upon an abnormal movement of said pump rod.

7. In combination with a pump and an en gine for driving said pump, a valve for controllin the operation of said engine, said valve eing provided with a valve stem, a link adapted to be reciprocated by said pump, a lever pivotally mounted and connected at one end to said link, and a trigger member actuated by said lever and connected to said valve stem to transmit motion from said lever to said valve, the arrangement being such that on an abnormal movement of said pump and link, said trigger member will be disengaged from said valve stem, whereby said valve will assume its closed position.

8. In combination with a reciprocating pump rod and an engine for actuating said pump rod, a valve for controlling the admission of motive fluid to said engine, said valve being biased toward its closed position and provlded with a valve stem, an arm secured to said pump rod to reciprocate therewith, a link adapted to be reciprocated by said arm, a lever pivotally mounted at one end and connected at its other end to said link, a cam member normally actuated by said lever, and a contact member on said valve stem, said contact member being provided with a surface for engagement with said cam so that motion of said lever will be normally transmit-ted by said cam to said contact member and said valve, and the connection between said cam and said contact member being such that on an abnormal movement of the pump rod the cam will be disengaged from said contact member so that said valve will assume its closed position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25 day of February, 1931.

HOMER H. BRANN AN. 

